A Travel Price Comparison for Families, Couples, and Backpackers Geneva vs. Caen for Attractions, Food, Nightlife, and Families

Should you visit Geneva or Caen?

Which is cheaper to visit? Which is more expensive for vacation?

Which city should you visit? Read on to compare the activities as well as the prices of travel for Geneva and Caen. We'll break down costs for accommodation, food, transportation and more to help you learn more about these two destinations. Then, you can figure out if either of these two places are accessible based on your travel budget, schedule, and interests. So, let's dig into it.

Geneva

Geneva is a international, professional, and classy city. It's a large city with plenty of activites for visitors as well. It's a gorgeous place to visit. Other reasons to visit include food, shopping, and museums.

Caen

Caen is a historic, park-filled, and important city. Since it's a large city, you'll find plenty of things to do. It's also known for nightlife, food, and museums.

Geneva and Caen: Pros and Cons

Is there more to do in Geneva or Caen?

Travelers will usually find more to do in Geneva than Caen, as it is bigger with more sights, attractions, and activities for visitors. Geneva is popular for its role as a global hub for the United Nations, the Red Cross, and the World Health Organization. It is also home to The Geneva Water Fountain (The Jet d'Eau). Caen is popular for its role in World War II and its memorials and historical buildings.

How is Geneva different from Caen?

Which is Better for a Holiday?

Let's take a look at the differences and similarities between Caen and Geneva. Then, you can decide for yourself which place is better for your next trip.

Are the Museums and Historical Sights Better in Geneva or Caen?

Both Geneva and Caen have excellent landmarks and museums for visitors.

Visitors can fill many days exploring the museums and attractions around Geneva. Famous sights and landmarks include the spectacular Water Jet, St Pierre Cathedral, and the Palais des Nations. There are also impressive art and history museums in the city.

Caen offers many unique museums, sights, and landmarks that will make for a memorable trip. There are many monuments around town commemorating the city's long history. You'll want to see Château de Caen, Pegasus Bridge, Mémorial de Caen, Musée de Normandie, and Musée des beaux-arts de Caen.

Is the Food Better in Geneva or Caen? Which Destination has the Best Restaurants?

Dining out at restaurants in both Geneva and Caen can be an enjoyable experience.

With its innovative style combined with traditional elements, Geneva makes for a great culinary experience. The city has an amazing mix of traditional Swiss restaurants as well as diverse ethnic options. Traditional dishes include fondue and raclette, both of which involve the decadent Swiss cheese.

Caen has a huge number of terrific restaurants. There's a market that's at its best on Sundays where you'll find fresh produce and other local ingredients. There are also Michelin starred restaurants, seafood restaurants, and other traditional dishes. Head to the Vaugueux Quarter for traditional dishes.

Is Geneva or Caen Better for Nightlife?

It's hard to distinguish whether Geneva or Caen has a better nightlife scene.

Geneva has an active nightlife scene for those who seek it out. During the day the city is all business, but at night the professionals, interns, students, and NGO workers all come together to enjoy a drink at a bar or dance at one of the city's diverse clubs.

If you're looking for night time activities Caen has a few options to choose from. The nightlife scene stays active thanks to the 30,000 students living in town. Head to the Rue Ecuyère for a pub crawl or hit up any of the other bars around town.

Is Geneva or Caen Better for its Old Town?

Geneva is a good destination for its historic old town. However, Caen does not have a historic old town.

Geneva is a good destination for visiting its old town. The Old Town offers a number of charming streets where you can wander as well as historical buildings including St. Pierre Cathedral.

Caen does not have a historic old town.

Is the Shopping Better in Geneva or Caen?

Geneva is renowned for shopping. However, Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

People travel from around the world to go shopping in Geneva. Famous for its posh shops and luxury brands, this city is a popular shopping destination. From chic boutiques to deluxe toy stores, you'll find something for everyone. In particular, the city is known for its Swiss watches, Swiss Army knives, chocolate, and wine.

Caen is not a noteworthy shopping destination.

Is Geneva or Caen Better for Families?

Both Geneva and Caen are good family-friendly destinations.

You'll find plenty of kid-friendly things to do in Geneva. This diverse city has a number of chocolate shops, toy stores, and parks where kids can play. They'll be impressed by the Water Jet and there are few places where you can swim in the lake when the weather is warm.

Caen offers lots of family activities. There are museums, parks, monasteries, and castles that kids and adults alike with enjoy visiting.

Is Geneva or Caen Better for Couples?

Geneva and Caen both good destinations for a couple.

Geneva is a nice destination for couples. Wandering Old Town, sampling Swiss chocolate, and enjoying one of the many ethnic restaurants around town all make for great date activities. Fondue in a traditional restaurant is also a not to be missed experience.

Caen makes for a fun place to visit for a couple. Couples that are fascinated by history will enjoy a visit to this town in Normandy. There are also abbeys, castles and parks.

Is Geneva or Caen Better for Backpackers and Budget Travelers?

Caen is a good destination for backpackers. However, Geneva is a city with minimal options for backpackers and budget travelers.

Plenty of backpackers visit Caen. You'll find more apartments and bed and breakfasts than hostels in town, but backpackers still make their way here.

Geneva is a challenging destination for budget travelers and backpackers due to the higher prices. The city is often overlooked by backpackers as it is pretty expensive. Many hotels cater to the business traveler crowd, but there are a few hostels to choose from.

Is Geneva or Caen Better for Students?

Geneva is a very popular place for its student-friendly activities. However, Caen is not popular with students.

Many students visit Geneva. The University of Geneva attracts many international students and the city is quite diverse. It feels like a mixing bowl of cultures, so students will feel very welcomed and comfortable here.

Caen is not popular with students.

Is Geneva or Caen Better for Public Transit? Which Is Easier to Get Around Without a Car?

Geneva is renowned for times when you don't have a car. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its public transit.

Geneva has a great public transit system. The very comprehensive system includes trams, buses, and boats.

Public transit in Caen can get you to some places easily. There are buses and trams that travel throughout the city.

Is Geneva or Caen a more walkable city?

Geneva is a very popular place for its walkability. Also, Caen is not quite as popular, but is fairly good for its high level of walkability.

Geneva is very walkable. Most areas where visitors spend their time can be easily explored on foot.

Caen is a somewhat walkable place. The city center is best explored on foot.

For even more information, also check out Is Geneva Worth Visiting? and Is Caen Worth Visiting?.

Should I spend more time in Caen or Geneva?

How long in Geneva or Caen?

Visitors can find plenty of fun things to do in both Geneva and Caen. In our opinion, Geneva has more to see and do, so we recommend that you spend more time in Geneva than Caen. In general, 1-3 days is a good amount of time for Geneva, and 2-3 days is enough time in Caen.

Families should spend more time in Geneva than Caen. Because of the many family-friendly attractions and fun things to do for kids in Geneva, it's a great place to visit with the whole family.

Couples should spend more time in Geneva than Caen. You'll find plenty of romantic sights and fun activities in Geneva that are great for a weekend getaway or a longer couple's trip.

Backpackers and budget travelers should spend more time in Geneva than Caen if your budget allows for it. With a larger number of budget-friendly sights, good nightlife, and active things to do, anyone traveling on a budget would have a good time in Geneva.

One day in Geneva or Caen?

Geneva is a big city destination where you can fill many days. Take your pick from the many activities offered here. One day is usually enough time to experience most activities.

Many travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the destination of Caen. But since there are so many activities, you'll likely want to spend more than one day exploring.

A weekend in Geneva or Caen?

Geneva is a fun place to experience. Most people visit for the shopping. If you have a weekend, this is a great place to go. A weekend is often enough time to do most activities. The entire region has so many activities, and you'll want time to do everything.

Caen is a great place to explore. It is common to spend a weekend here. With all of its activities, you can easily fill a weekend here. Your budget might influence how long you stay.

Five days in Geneva or Caen?

You'll find museums and nightlife around the classy big city of Geneva. This city offers something for everyone. Five days is plenty of time to see everything, even with extra days to spare.

It's hard to know how much time to spend in Caen. Five days may feel like too much time unless you plan to do a lot of relaxing. It has many unique tourist attractions and fascinating things to do.

A week in Geneva or Caen?

The diverse city of Geneva offers nightlife and food. The length of your trip often depends on your style of travel. One week is usually plenty of time to spend here with extra days to spare. With this much time, visitors often visit nearby destinations or take day trips.

Travelers enjoy the food and museums when visiting the important destination of Caen. This city offers a variety of activities to choose from. Most people find that one week is more than enough time to see everything.

For some great organized tour ideas, see Tours for Outdoor and Nature Lovers in Switzerland, The Best Adventure Tours to Switzerland, The Best 10-Day Tours in France, and The Best One Week (7-Day) Tours in France.

When we compare the travel costs of actual travelers between Geneva and Caen, we can see that Geneva is more expensive. And not only is Caen much less expensive, but it is actually a significantly cheaper destination. So, traveling to Caen would let you spend less money overall. Or, you could decide to spend more money in Caen and be able to afford a more luxurious travel style by staying in nicer hotels, eating at more expensive restaurants, taking tours, and experiencing more activities. The same level of travel in Geneva would naturally cost you much more money, so you would probably want to keep your budget a little tighter in Geneva than you might in Caen.

If you're trying to decide if either of these two destinations are within your price range, also see Is Geneva Expensive? and Is Caen Expensive?.

Which is Bigger, Geneva or Caen?

Geneva has a larger population, and is about 66% larger than the population of Caen. When comparing the sizes of Geneva and Caen, keep in mind that a larger population does not always imply the destination has more attractions or better activities. So, always research the type of place that you want to visit along with the activities and attractions that interest you.

When is the best time to visit Geneva or Caen?

Both places have a temperate climate with four distinct seasons. As both cities are in the northern hemisphere, summer is in July and winter is in January.

Should I visit Geneva or Caen in the Summer?

The summer brings many poeple to Geneva as well as Caen. The summer months attract visitors to Geneva because of the city activities and the family-friendly experiences. Also, the city activities and the family-friendly experiences are the main draw to Caen this time of year.

Geneva is a little warmer than Caen in the summer. The daily temperature in Geneva averages around 22°C (71°F) in July, and Caen fluctuates around 18°C (64°F).

The sun comes out a lot this time of the year in Caen. People are often attracted to the plentiful sunshine in Geneva this time of the year. In the summer, Geneva often gets more sunshine than Caen. Geneva gets 285 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caen receives 227 hours of full sun.

Geneva usually gets more rain in July than Caen. Geneva gets 61 mm (2.4 in) of rain, while Caen receives 48 mm (1.9 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Geneva or Caen in the Autumn?

Both Caen and Geneva are popular destinations to visit in the autumn with plenty of activities. The city's sights and attractions, the shopping scene, and the natural beauty of the area are the main draw to Geneva this time of year. Also, many travelers come to Caen for the city's sights and attractions.

In the autumn, Geneva is around the same temperature as Caen. Typically, the autumn temperatures in Geneva in October average around 14°C (56°F), and Caen averages at about 12°C (54°F).

Geneva usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Caen during autumn. Geneva gets 127 hours of sunny skies, while Caen receives 128 hours of full sun in the autumn.

In October, Geneva usually receives more rain than Caen. Geneva gets 78 mm (3.1 in) of rain, while Caen receives 68 mm (2.7 in) of rain each month for the autumn.

Should I visit Geneva or Caen in the Winter?

Both Caen and Geneva during the winter are popular places to visit. Many travelers come to Geneva for the museums, the shopping scene, and the cuisine. Furthermore, many visitors come to Caen in the winter for the museums and the cuisine.

Caen can get quite cold in the winter. Be prepared for some very cold days in Geneva. In January, Geneva is generally cooler than Caen. Daily temperatures in Geneva average around 4°C (39°F), and Caen fluctuates around 5°C (41°F).

In the winter, Geneva often gets less sunshine than Caen. Geneva gets 62 hours of sunny skies this time of year, while Caen receives 70 hours of full sun.

Geneva usually gets less rain in January than Caen. Geneva gets 55 mm (2.1 in) of rain, while Caen receives 64 mm (2.5 in) of rain this time of the year.

Should I visit Geneva or Caen in the Spring?

The spring attracts plenty of travelers to both Geneva and Caen. Many visitors come to Geneva in the spring for the activities around the city and the natural beauty. Furthermore, most visitors come to Caen for the activities around the city during these months.

Geneva is a little warmer than Caen in the spring. The daily temperature in Geneva averages around 11°C (53°F) in April, and Caen fluctuates around 9°C (49°F).

Geneva usually receives around the same amount of sunshine as Caen during spring. Geneva gets 174 hours of sunny skies, while Caen receives 171 hours of full sun in the spring.

In April, Geneva usually receives more rain than Caen. Geneva gets 65 mm (2.6 in) of rain, while Caen receives 46 mm (1.8 in) of rain each month for the spring.

Typical Weather for Caen and Geneva